determinant
Americannoun
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a determining agent or factor.
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Mathematics. an algebraic expression of the sum of products of elements, each with an appropriate algebraic sign, usually written in a square array and used in the solution of systems of linear equations.
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Also called antigenic determinant,. Also called epitope. Immunology. any site on an antigen molecule at which an antibody can bind, the chemical structure of the site determining the specific combining antibody.
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Genetics Archaic. a gene.
adjective
noun
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a factor, circumstance, etc, that influences or determines
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maths a square array of elements that represents the sum of certain products of these elements, used to solve simultaneous equations, in vector studies, etc Compare matrix
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of determinant
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin dēterminant- (stem of dētermināns ), present participle of dētermināre; see determine, -ant
Explanation
A determinant is a factor or cause that makes something happen or leads directly to a decision. The word determinant hasn't strayed much from its roots in the Latin word for "determining." As a noun or adjective, it refers to determining or deciding something. A snowstorm could be a determinant in school being canceled. Or a good health-care plan could be the determinant in someone taking a job. The determinant cause of a disease is responsible for the spread of the disease. Anything described as determinant is important.
Vocabulary lists containing determinant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The crucial determinant of market direction, however, is what Hartnett calls the Maginot Line of the 5% level on the 30-year U.S.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
If regulation meaningfully affects output and inflation, it belongs alongside fiscal and monetary policy as a central determinant of economic performance.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
“Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery confirms that the stand-alone platform era is ending, with scale becoming the primary determinant of competitiveness.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025
All of that indicates ADP’s latest employment data could be a key determinant in how both officials and investors view the odds of a December cut.
From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025
Culture to us seems the great determinant of how human beings conduct themselves; in the relentless academic debate between “nature and nurture,” it is the “nurture” school which commands greater support from the bystanders.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
